Get Used To It
by Blacksilver17
Summary: The Hunger Games characters have to go to the Divergent world, Chicago, and have to get used to a life of the factions. Rated T just in case! A lot of people were doing the Divergent Games so I just reversed it. HOPE YA LIKE IT!:) disclaimer: I don't own divergent or the hunger games.
1. Chapter 1

**KLet's pretend that none of that Hunger Games/President Snow etc business happened! The world is sane, well as sane as it gets in a dystopian story. Sane, like divergent sane...ah well...just read. Also let's pretend no one died!**

_Katniss' POV_

Our Prez said that it's 'choosing day' tomorrow. Whatever that is. She said that we are going to a different city, Chicago, and everything there, from the government system to the way of living, is different. We have to get ready. Their city is divided into 'factions', which are basically sections. We first take the aptitude test to see which one we're best suited for. Then we get to choose.

I'm pretty nervous. What if I'm not suited to any faction? What if I don't end up in the same faction as Peeta or Prim or Gale or Finnick or anyone else?

"Aren't you the least bit nervous, Katniss?" Prim asks, tugging on my sleeve.

I stare at her. "Duh! Why do you think I'm shaking while combing my hair? I only do those things when I'm super nervous."

"Katniss, you're not shaking and you've put down your comb. You're not nervous."

I look at the comb on the table. I look at my steady limbs. Prim's right. I'm not nervous. "I-"

"C'mon Prim! C'mon Katniss! Chop chop the train is here!" Gale shouts.

I rush out. "Where's Peeta?"

"He's already in the train," he says as Prim runs out.

"Let's go!"

* * *

"Hey Katniss, Prim, Gale," Peeta says.

I take a seat next to him. "Hey."

Prim and Gale take seats opposite to him, and my mum, who's already in, sits at the end.

The ride is only 5 minutes and not a word is uttered. I guess none of us have really been the talkative type, especially me.

If you imagine the train to be Capitol-worthy, top-class fancy then I need that image out of your mind. It's not an ugly old slum train either though. It has wood sides, benches with cushions on either side and a short one at the end with a simple polished wood coffee table too. And a clock.

"We're here!" Effie Trinket announces, coming in from another carriage. "Introducing Chicago and your new life!"

* * *

_Tris' POV_

She doesn't stand out but she does. That's what stands out to me the most.

We're meeting the former citizens of another city, Panem. Tori's never heard of it and she studies history a lot, so it must be new. Tobias comes up and puts an arm around me. "Hey Tris. What do you think of them?"

"_She_ really stands out to me," I say, pointing to the girl who caught my eye. A blondie's arm is around her, and she's holding a young girl's- maybe 12?- hand. Her sister, I guess.

"Yeah, I heard about her. The all-famous Katniss Everdeen, her bf Peeta Mellark, her sister Primrose and her best friend Gale Hawthorne," Tobias says. I punch his arm.

"Stalker," I mutter.

"I'm not a stalker! I read a bit about her and I got so interested. That's all. Let's go meet," he says.

So we do. But instead of going straight to Katniss and gang, we bump into a girl who's in her twenties, maybe? Black hair, straight posture. "Hey! What's your name?" I say, trying the old friendly approach.

She growls. "None of your beeswax, unless you tell me yours."

I shrug. "Tris. Tris Prior."

"Johanna Mason. And you? Tall hot guy next to Tris."

I put my arm protectively on Tobias. "Hands off. He's mine," I say, half-joking, half-serious.

"No way, seriously?" Johanna looks surprised and I don't blame her. Why would a tall, strong, hot guy like him choose to be with regular, ugly me?

"Yup," I say, popping the 'p'.

"Name's Four," Tobias says, using the name he uses to the public.

"Weird name, but whatever," she says, walking away.

We walk up to Katniss, Peeta, Gale and Prim. "Hey guys," I say.

"Hey.." Katniss looks nervous. Maybe she's not comfortable around people.

"Hey. Name's Peeta, you?" Peeta says. A little more social I guess.

"Tris."

"Four."

"Gale, this is Prim."

"Katniss."

"Citizens of Panem, head into the Hub for registration for the aptitude test and as citizens. Chicago citizens, please show our guests where the Hub is," a voice on intercom says. I think it's Marcus, the official leader of the city.

We guide the gang to the Hub. And go away. Because the aptitude test and the choosing ceremony are experiences you have to face alone.

**Ok, experimental chap! Not sure if anyone will actually like it/read it but since everyone was doing Divergent characters compete in the Hunger Games I decided to do the opposite. Hope you review!**

**-blacksilver17**


	2. Chapter 2

_Katniss' POV_

We are guided to 'the Hub', whatever that is, by Four and Tris. They seem pretty cool, but I have learned to always be suspicious of people if you don't know them well.

At the Hub, they ask the Panem people to sit down next to each other on a bench, with a long table, which surprisingly fits all the Panem-ers. They call our names, one by one, and I patiently wait for my turn, trying to pretend my palms are not sweaty, my heart-rate isn't climbing up mountains. I will go before Prim, but before Annie Cresta, Finnick's wife.

Soon enough, it's my turn. "Katniss Everdeen." I nervously get up, placidly, carefully, and step into a room.

The first thing I notice about the room is that the walls are covered with mirrors. And there's a chair, like a dentist's, with a platter of 'equipment' beside it. This can't be good.

A woman with mousy blond hair tied in a bun, wearing grey pants and a grey shirt is the only other living organism in the room. She gestures to the chair. "Sit, please."

I do as I'm told, and she offers me a liquid. "Drink it. I can't tell you what it is, but I promise you, you are safe here."

Seeing no other choice, I drink the bright liquid and fade into black.

* * *

When I regain consciousness, I'm in a room, again. There is a hunk of cheese and a long knife together on a table. "CHOOSE!" I hear a female voice say. Hesitating, I pick up the knife, thinking if there was danger I could protect myself.

Suddenly, a dog as vicious as a tiger, or a lion, appears, running towards me, and it doesn't look like it wants a pat. But I'm determined not to use my knife, and to instead tame it.

The dog, as I predicted, becomes tame as it approaches me, and transforms from a vicious beast to a cute pet. Then a little girl, around 6 years old, enters the room, yelling, 'puppy!'.

The dog's muscles tense, and I know that it will transform back into a vicious beast and will hurt the girl. So as it begins running, I tell the girl to run, and I run ahead of the dog, blocking its path to the girl.

Suddenly I black out again. When I wake up, I'm in the chair, but no one's there, except a man with a rough appearance, smoking a cigarette, dirty hair, yellow nails. "Do you know this man?" he says, and holds up a photograph of an even harder-looking man. I feel like I know him somewhere, but I also feel like if I tell the truth it will hurt me.

"Well, do you?" he insists.

I firmly shake my head. "No."

"You sure? If you do, it could save me. It could _save_ me!"

I have the power to save a life. Aren't I going to take it?

"Well, I don't." I set my jaw firmly and pretend to look confident.

* * *

The simulation is over. "Pretty straightforward response," the grey-clothed woman comments. "But something went wrong with it. I'll have to give you a new situation. Hope you don't mind."

I really don't want to, but I see that I have no choice. So I slowly nod, and drink the liquid again, fading to black, losing consciousness.

* * *

This time I'm not in a room, I'm standing by an old railway track. And a train is coming towards me. Somehow, I know that it's not stopping, but I have to go on it, or I will fail this test, this aptitude test. So I run back a bit, using what little space I have as a runway.

The train approaches, and I run, quickly. As I grab the handle, pulling myself in, all I want to do, I realise, is jump on the train again. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and I laugh for joy. Then the simulation goes to a different scene.

I'm in a library, and computers line the wall. A woman whom I do not recognise comes up to me and says, "What is the meaning of 'supercalifragalisticexpialidocious'?"

I haven't heard of the word in my life. The woman doesn't say it like finding out its meaning seems like a necessity, so I simply shrug. The woman looks upset, but nods and my vision goes black again.

* * *

I wake up back in the room. The grey-clothed woman, who introduces herself as Natalie, says my test results were very clear-cut. I rejected Amity by taking the knife. I rejected Candor by refusing to tell the truth about the man. I rejected Abnegation when I refused to tell the truth to the man even after he said I could save him. I rejected Erudite by my refusal to pursue the meaning of the word, therefore rejecting knowledge.

I am Dauntless.

* * *

"So, what'd you get?" Peeta asks as soon as I leave the mirrored room. I shrug.

"We're not supposed to talk about our test results," I say. Yeah, I'm not much for following rules, or orders, but something's nagging at me. Something that is making me want to keep my result from Peeta.

"Oh yeah? Since when did you follow rules?" He playfully asks, laughing. I try to laugh with him, but it's forced. "What's wrong?"

"Something in my gut is telling me not to tell you. I don't know, I, I-" I whisper the last part, "I got Dauntless."

He smiles. "I figured as much. My wife, Katniss Everdeen, ranked top of her initiate class of Dauntless. Yeah, sounds about right." I laugh, and I feel easy for the first time since we entered Chicago. What was I thinking? This is my Peeta, the one who got me through tough times, the one I can trust anytime.

"What was yours?"

"I'm Divergent."

His voice is softer than a whisper. "Erudite or Abnegation."

We can't be together?

**I have a feeling some of you won't like Peeta being Divergent or Katniss and Peeta separating. I'm sorry. I couldn't decide if Peeta was smart or selfless cuz he seems to be both...Anyway. I don't like them separating either but lets face it, Katniss isn't that smart/selfless, at least, she's more brave. And let's face it Peeta isn't as brave as Katniss. Sorry if you disagree but that's the way I imagine it.**

**Also, I know some of you were hoping for some new characters, sorry I couldn't put them in this chapter. This chap was to show Katniss' aptitude test. That's all. Hope you're enjoying the story.**

**-blacksilver17**


	3. Chapter 3

_Peeta's POV_

"You're Divergent," she, my test administrator Tori, whispered. "You can't tell anyone. It's dangerous. Very dangerous. You could get killed."

"What's so bad about being Divergent?" I said.

"Divergent people are a threat to the system. They can't be controlled. They can't be confined to a particular way of thinking."

"I'm Divergent," I whispered to myself.

* * *

I can trust Katniss. She's Dauntless, and...where should I go? Erudite? Abnegation? From what I recall, Erudite is the smart group, always looking for knowledge, and Abnegation are the selfless ones.

"Hey. Peeta! Come on! We have to go," Katniss says. I get up, jerked back to reality.

"Yeah, let's go!" I say, and we walk back to where we met the Chicago ones. The people we met earlier- Tris and Four- are still there, waiting for us, talking to a tall, brown-skinned, short-haired girl, who looks about their age. As Gale and Prim join us, Tris waves us over.

"How was it?" she asks. Katniss shrugs.

"Dauntless," she says casually. Tris smiles and high-fives Katniss.

"Yeah! Welcome to the party!" she says.

"I guess you're Dauntless?" I ask. She nods.

"Yeah, you?"

"We're not really supposed to tell our results," I say, not wanting to reveal to anyone I'd just met that I was Divergent.

She comes close and whispers in my ear, "If you're Divergent, it's okay, you can tell me. I'm Divergent too."

I look at her in surprise. I never thought that she was Divergent. She seemed so Dauntless. "Yeah, I'm Divergent."

"Someone tell me how this works?" Prim asks. Katniss goes to work.

"They tell you what faction you got. You choose that faction tomorrow, during the Choosing Ceremony. Then, if you pass initiation, you become a member of that faction. If you don't pass, then you're either dead or factionless. Did I get that right, Tris and Four?"

Four nods. It seems like they're together, the way Tris looks at him, the way Four puts is arm passionately around Tris. But Four looks so much older. "Yup, perfect. By the way, I'm Dauntless too. So, hopefully you'll pass initiation, because you seem cool."

"Ahem? You guys have been talking for like, 10 minutes and I completely slipped from your minds, how encouraging," the tall girl with short hair and brown skin says, rolling her eyes. I almost jump out of my skin- I_ did _forget she was there, though how, I don't know. She's quite striking, not the type of person that easily blends into the background.

"Oh gosh! I'm so sorry Chris! Guys, this is Christina. She's Dauntless, like me. Chris, that's Katniss, that's Peeta, that's Primrose but she's called Prim, and that's Gale," Tris says, pointing to each of us in turn.

We shake hands, nod, chat for a while when a voice broadcasts to the whole city. "Former citizens of Panem, congratulations on finishing your Aptitude Test. As the Choosing Ceremony is tomorrow, you will have to take refuge in an Abnegation household or you may proceed to a building we have prepared for you, near Abnegation Headquarters. We look forward to your choice tomorrow, and remember: faction before blood." The voice signs off. It is, without doubt, Marcus Eaton, one of the leaders of the city.

Tris looks at us. "You guys can go to my parents' place. They'll definitely take on anyone that needs help. It's just along the HQ road. Really easy to find. C'mon, I'll show you." She walks in the direction of Abnegation, and we all follow when we see a blond man and a dark-haired woman walk towards us. Finnick and Annie.

"Hey! Guys! Over here!" Katniss yells, and motions them towards us. "Guys, Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta, husband and wife. Finnick and Annie, Tris, Four and Christina."

"S'up guys?" Finnick says, and shakes his hand with everyone. Tris and Four seem unfamiliar to the motion, but do it anyway. Annie repeats it. "Peeta. Gale. Prim. Katniss. How are you guys?"

We exchange greetings of this sort until talk turns back to the aptitude test. "I got Dauntless, as expected," Finnick says, shrugging. "Unfortunately, Annie got Amity. Which means we're not going to be together. But we're trying to decide on a faction which we can be happy in together. Katniss, Peeta, you're probably having the same problem, such different personalities. Am I right? Yup, I can see it in your faces. What'd you get?"

"Katniss got Dauntless, I got Abnegation," I say before Katniss can mention anything about my Divergence. She gives me a strange look, but goes along with it.

"Which faction are you going to settle in?" Finnick asks. We shrug.

"Haven't really thought about it yet," Katniss admits, and Finnick fake-gasps.

"Or is the legendary Everlark couple breaking up?" he says in fake horror. **  
**

"Everlark?" she asks. I sigh.

"Our ship name. Cuz combining our first names would be just...ew," I say. She still looks confused, so I whisper it in her ear.

"EWWW! Why would people ever say that?" she exclaims. We all laugh.

Johanna comes up to us. "What's up, my fellow 'friends'?" she says.

"Johanna, this is-" I start, when she cuts me off.

"No, no, baker's boy. I already know Four and Tris," she says. "Who's _she_?" Johanna says, pointing to Christina._  
_

"It's Christina. Call me Chris. You?" Christina says.

"Johanna. Johanna Mason," Johanna replies. "So, you guys have anywhere to crash tonight?"

"We're gonna stay over at Tris' parents house, if they welcome us," Katniss says. "You?"

"Mind if I come with you? I really don't wanna go to that so-called 'prepared' building," Johanna responds.

Finnick nods. "Same."

Tris stops us before our 'planning' goes any further. "Whoa guys. I don't think my old house can fit that many people. I have an idea. If you all want to stay together, take some blankets and go to the Abnegation Park. We have it so the faction less can collect food and clothing every month, but this month's ceremony is already finished so you don't have to worry. And it barely rains. It's completely safe there, stealing or killing would be selfish. I _would _go with you, but we aren't allowed in other factions for no good reason." She sounded almost wistful as she said that last part. But it sounded like a great idea, and apparently everyone else thought so too.

So tonight, we're going to borrow blankets from the Abnegation community and sleep under the stars, literally.

* * *

It's night now. We're setting out the blankets. "I have to say, this isn't half bad," Johanna comments. "Much better than our old life anyway."

OK, even _I _have to agree with that.

We play 'would you rather', a game some Amity taught us during the afternoon, and gradually we all grow tired.

"OK guys, I'm going to crash. It's been long day," Finnick says, yawning, and lies down, Annie beside him. After that, we all pretty much slept off.

Tomorrow is the Choosing Ceremony. Erudite or Abnegation? I have to say, is life in Abnegation like this? Helping people, leading people, completely selfless? Respected in community? Doesn't sound like a bad life. And it seems very peaceful too.

Erudite, on the other hand, is more modern, and more beneficial towards myself. But it maybe isn't the best choice; I heard that their old leader was so corrupted that she tried to kill the whole of Abnegation just so Erudite would be in control. I just don't want to be part of something like that.

Me and Katniss are not going to be in the same faction. I already know that. We haven't tried to discuss which faction would be best for _both_ of us, so I can only assume that we are going it alone. Katniss will choose Dauntless, her blood sizzling on the coals.

I think tomorrow, my blood will be falling on grey stones.

**I guess Peeta was always destined for a life of helping others. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. **

**Plz Review! And I'm always love getting suggestions or ideas in PM. Also, don't forget to check out my other story. It's called Face Your Fears- it's a Divergent fanfic. **

**Keep on readin!:)**

**-blacksilver17**


	4. Chapter 4

_Katniss' POV_

I wake up just as the sun is rising. Everyone else is still asleep. I get up, groaning, and take in my surroundings.

Oh right, we're not in Panem- we're in the Abnegation sector of Chicago. Today I'm going to drop my blood in the coals. Dauntless.

I feel so guilty, leaving Peeta. But I could never fit in Abnegation, not the way he does. And he is going to Abnegation. Who am I to argue? It's his life, and as much as I hate leaving him, it's his decision that's final.

Suddenly, Marcus Eaton's voice is broadcasted again. "Attention, everyone, attention." Everyone else wakes up, rubbing their eyes. "Former citizens of Panem, we have adjusted the faction system. Those who have ever participated in or trained for _The Hunger Games_ will take part in Dauntless initiation. If you fail, you may transfer to the faction of your aptitude test and complete initiation there. Thank you and good luck."

YES! ME AND PEETA ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER! ME AND PEETA ARE GOING TO BE TOGETHER!

"YES!" Finnick yells, and kisses Annie. "We're going to be together!"

"Us too!" Peeta yells, making his way over to me, and kisses me. I laugh with joy, and we whoop.

* * *

We go to the Hub, and meet up with Chris, Tris and Four. They are already in Dauntless, so they are just here to support us and the other people who are going to choose their faction today. "Nervous?" Tris asks, evidently recalling her own Choosing Ceremony.

I shrug. "Not really. I'm required to choose Dauntless, so no surprise or anything. My mum won't feel betrayed or anything, my dad died and I have no family except for Prim, and...oh...Prim didn't compete in the Hunger Games...she...I...oh, shit."

She seems to understand, because she puts a hand on my shoulder and looks at me sympathetically. Christina gasps and says, "Oh gosh, Katniss, I'm so sorry..." Four doesn't say anything, just gives me that look that he sometimes gives Tris- not a romantic look, a look that says I don't need sympathy, I'm too strong to need it.

I'm grateful to Tris and Chris, happy that Four believes I'm strong. Yeah, I just arrived yesterday, but I get the feeling it's not easy to make him think of someone like that. So in a way, it's just as good as Tris and Chris' reactions. Don't think that I want to be with him though. He's Tris', and I'm Peeta's, no change required.

"Okay, Panem-turned-Chicago people, please make your way into the main room of the Hub, where Choosing will take place. Any supporters will make their way there too, please, and take a seat in the respective faction. Thank you." I don't know why it's constantly Marcus' voice that's broadcasted, not any other council member's.

We make our way to the main room, and our surnames are called in reverse alphabetical order, like the aptitude test. A representative of Candor is hosting the ceremony this year. It changes every year, Tris told me.

"Welcome, dependents. Today is the day you choose your life, and pledge allegiance to your faction. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to Hunger Games participants. They will be required to try Dauntless initiation because they survived such a difficult situation and are expected to be brave. However, they can transfer to the faction of their aptitude test should they fail Dauntless initiation. If, for any reason, they seem unfit to do the initiation process of Dauntless, they are requested to meet with Marcus Eaton, leader of the city. Thank you, and remember everyone: faction before blood."

The leader is a middle-aged man, around 40, I'd say, and I heard his name is Jack Kang. He looks strict. Well, since he's the leader of Candor I suppose he has heard all sorts of criticism of himself, and that has made him hard.

"Now, our first dependent will kindly step up, and we shall move on from there," he says. "Francesca Zhang." A Chinese girl with glossy black hair in a bun, wearing black and white clothes. A Candor. She drips her blood onto glass- the Candor bowl. Loyalty to her faction to the end.

"Lionel Yatzee." A black-clothed boy with spiky coloured-hair, skin ridden with tattoos and piercings, steps up. He takes the knife Jack Kang offers him and drips his blood effortlessly into the coals, the Dauntless bowl.

Is that what I'm going to become? Someone with weird, strange hair colours, more tattoo than skin and piercings all over my body? I don't have a choice, anyway. I look sideways at Peeta. He looks like he's thinking the same thing. Is Dauntless going to be like reliving the Hunger Games? Fancy appearances, then a lot of violence and killing, and a desperate fight for survival?

"Walter Yamply." Jack's voice jerks me back to life. A boy in a blue suit and uniform blond hair which is seemingly gelled back. He looks like he's about to cry, vomit or both as he slowly drips his blood into the Candor bowl. The Erudite gasps- I know why. Apparently, transferring from your faction of origin to another faction is an act of betrayal of the greatest magnitude.

Jack continues reading out the names, but I don't really pay attention. Finnick, Annie, Johanna, Peeta and all the other people who were in the Hunger Games will have to choose Dauntless, obviously. How about Gale and Prim? Well, Gale will be choosing Dauntless. I know him well enough to know that. How about Prim?

Not Dauntless, Erudite or Candor. That means Amity or Abnegation. Is she peaceful, or selfless? Both, I think, but more of which one? I contemplate on this until Jack calls a name of someone I know. Finnick. He drips his blood into the Dauntless bowl and goes to stand with them.

"Peeta Mellark." Peeta goes to the front and does the same thing as Finnick- his blood sizzles on the coals. He goes to Dauntless, standing beside Finnick. They acknowledge each other with a brief nod, and turn their attention back to the ceremony. I turn my attention back to my thoughts until they the name of someone I know.

"Gale Hawthorne." Gale takes the knife and cuts his hand, letting the blood fall on the coals, sizzling.

I knew this was coming; Gale isn't fit for anything but Dauntless, in my opinion. So why do I feel so nervous?

Peeta and Gale are not a good combination.

"Primrose Everdeen." Jack sounds like Effie in a strange way, calling Prim's name as tribute to the 74th Hunger Games. I shiver at the memory. Prim steps to the front, gingerly takes the knife and drags her hand over to the Abnegation bowl. I watch as her blood droplets fall on the grey stones.

Abnegation. I see Prim helping my mother with the wounded on our kitchen table. I see her selflessly offering herself for the work most people would be too selfish to even think about doing. I see her living a peaceful and happy Abnegation life.

"Katniss Everdeen." I'm supposed to go to the front. The nervousness I'm feeling cannot compare to anything else I've felt. My muscles are shaking; my blood is pulsing through my body faster than ever. My hands tremble- I grab the hem of my T-shirt to steady them.

I take the knife Jack offers me, and slowly hold my hand over the Dauntless bowl as my blood sizzles on the coals.

It is official. I am a Dauntless.

That is, if I pass initiation. I stand with Finnick, Peeta and Gale as Jack calls the next name. I don't say anything; there is nothing to say; and if I had to I wouldn't know what to.

My mother chose Abnegation. I think she chose it to be with Prim, even though Prim can take care of herself, and others around her, just fine. Gale's family all chose Candor. I don't know why. It's not like they're particularly honest, but they wouldn't survive Dauntless, Erudite and Amity would be too stressful and Abnegation would be too quiet for them, too proper. So Candor it was.

Once the last person makes the choice, the Dauntless run out the door first, down the stairs, feet thumping at different rhythms, different speeds. I laugh. It's the type of joy I love. I see everyone I know- Gale, Peeta, Johanna, Finnick and even Annie- enjoying it. We rush out into the cold, brisk air and I shiver a bit.

But not for long. The train is approaching, and I know what to do because I've seen myself do it, in the aptitude test. I've been in this situation. "We're jumping on!" I yell, and run to the front. I run with the train until I have the momentum, and swiftly jump in, holding the handle for support.

I am the only one inside, that's standing up straight, not lying down, clutching my stomach, or sitting on the ground, rubbing my leg. I am okay- I didn't hurt myself in any way.

"How did you do that?" asks Finnick, holding a handle in the train for support. "It seems almost...as if you'd done it before."

I nod. "I have. In the aptitude test."

Peeta jumps in, hands first, and drags his legs behind me. "What you guys talking about?"

"She said she had to jump in a train during the aptitude test," Finnick replies, and goes to sit with Annie, who's stting against a wall of the train, knees pressed to her face.

"Not a bad idea," I murmur, and curl up against the nearest wall. Peeta sits beside me. We talk, about ourselves, our lives, our futures, until Gale, who's talking to a crowd of people I don't recognise, beckons me to him. I get up, and so does Peeta. The people wander away as Peeta and I approach Gale.

"I heard Dauntless initiation is really tough. Fighting, facing your fears- it's definitely not a picnic," he tells us, getting straight to the point. "I was talking to some Dauntless-born earlier, and that's what they said."

Suddenly, I see Tris, Four and Christina talking to a group of people who appear to be her friends. "Let's ask them," I suggest, pointing to the group. They shrug and nod, moving towards them. They confirm it.

Before I know what's happening, I see a building approaching us, and silhouettes moving from the train to the roof of the building.

"They're jumping off."

**Longer than usual! Sorry I haven't updated for so long!**

**-blacksilver17**


	5. Chapter 5

**I know some characters are OOC...sorry about that.**

_Katniss' POV_

There's nothing else to it. The Dauntless are jumping off the train onto a roof. And there's a gap between. Why am I surprised? I shouldn't be surprised. The Dauntless, after all, are brave. Before I know it, the wind is howling and my body is in mid-air. I land hard on the gravel, wincing.

I see Peeta, Gale, Finnick and Johanna jump too. They all make it, with varying levels of success. Peeta hit his head; Johanna grazed her knees, and Finnick landed on his feet. That's when I notice...Annie isn't here.

I hear a blood-curdling scream. "FINNICK!" It's Annie. I see fingertips on the edge of the roof. She hasn't fallen yet, but she will if no one helps her. I rush forward the same time as Finnick.

"One, two, three, PULL!" he says as we pull Annie up. She goes over to Finnick, hugging him then thanking me. Once all the initiates are pulled up, a pale man with so many piercings I lost count and more ink than skin steps up in front of us, on a ledge, as if it's a sidewalk, not something you could die from.

"Everyone, my name is Eric. I am a Dauntless leader, and now is the time to prove your courage." He steps aside to reveal a big 'gap'. It stretches down into a black hole. I don't know what he means. "If you cannot muster the will to jump off this ledge, you don't belong here. Who will jump first?"

"Is there water at the bottom?" Finnick calls out.

"I guess you'll find out." Eric's voice is cold and calculating, like something evil is lurking there. For some reason, I find myself walking to the front. Do I really trust Eric? Do I trust Dauntless that I will not fall to my death? Is this a test to see if we know the difference between bravery and stupidity?

"Katniss don't!" Peeta and Gale both shout. Peeta glares at Gale as Peeta pulls me back.

"Let her go, blondie," Eric growls. "She made the choice. Let. Her. Freaking. Jump."

Peeta abruptly lets me go. "I'm sorry," he whispers. He walks back to the crowd of initiates staring at me. I can't back down now. It would look too cowardly, like I'm not a true Dauntless. I am. I believe I can be.

I step on the ledge. I am Dauntless, I say to myself. Don't think. Just jump. You won't die. Just jump.

I don't think. I just jump.

I fall like a stone, fast and heavy, the wind whipping through my hair and clothes. I fall hard onto a net. Oh, a net. I bounce a few times, before rolling off. A hand steadies me. It's a young woman.

"Hi. My name is Lauren. I'm one of the instructors. What's your name?" she says.

"Katniss."

"No change required?" she asks with a smile, like she's remembering a change someone made.

"No."

"I think 'Kat' would sound great on you."

I shake my head. "No, Katniss is..Katniss is fine."

She shrugs. "FIRST JUMPER, KATNISS!" she shouts up the hole. "You should be proud. First jumpers are always remembered."

"I don't care about being remembered."

"You SHOULD," she snaps. "You are freaking first jumper, the most Dauntless of the initiates. Act like it."

Peeta's body drops down on the net. He walks off without help, over to me. He embraces me. We stand side-by-side as we watch the other bodies hit the net. When everyone is down, including Tris, Four and Christina, Lauren tells us what to do.

"Alright, everyone. There will be 3 instructors per group. The Dauntless born initiates will come with me, Uriah and Marlene. _You _guys don't need a tour of the place, I assume. The transfers- wherever you may come from- will go with Tris, Four and Christina. Let's go. Oh, and the Dauntless-born will have one extra trainer- Lynn," she announces.

I'm not Dauntless-born, so I follow Tris, Four and Christina.

"This is the Pit!" Tris yells to us. "Centre of Dauntless life. You'll learn to love it someday. It's where you eat, drink, shop, get tattoos...basically, the heart of Dauntless."

I marvel at the huge white 'pit'. It's filled with people. I am still staring as we walk away.

"This is the chasm!" Tris yells. "It reminds us that there is a fine line between BRAVERY and IDIOCY. A daredevil jump into the chasm will end your life. Each year, one initiate jumps into it. Don't make the same mistake."

The chasm is a narrow, well, chasm, with jagged rocks running across its side and fast-flowing water gushing down the middle.

"These are the dorms," Christina says. "The transfer dorms. They are the ONLY places you will be able to sleep, unless you want to sleep in the hallway, or in the middle of the Pit." I hear snickers. "The bathrooms are right behind them." The dorms are simple- 10 beds a row, no partition to separate us or offer any privacy.

"This is the dining hall," Christina tells us. There is a big room filled with tables and chairs, bars where food is served, I assume. "Where you'll meet for meals. If any of the Dauntless leaders wish to make an announcement that involves the whole faction, it will be done here."

We continue walking. We walk into a room with a mat, a few targets, knives and guns. "This is the training room," Four's deep voice calls to us. "It's where you'll train for the first stage of initiation."

"There are 3 stages of initiation," Tris explains, walking around the crowd. "The first is physical- that is, combat. The second is emotional- learn how to conquer your fears one by one. The last is mental. Conquer your worst fears in a series, combining the physical prowess you learnt in stage 1 and the emotional mastery in stage 2. Just as stage 2 is weighed more than stage 1 in your final ranking, stage 3 is weighed heaviest of all." She looks pointedly at all of us. "It is possible to drastically improve your rank over time, though difficult."

"Make your way here to the training room by 8 o'clock," Four tells us. "We will teach you the basics of fighting, then you will be fighting your fellow initiates."

"A few ground rules," Christina says. "Get to the training room by 8am. Never leave the Dauntless compound unless accompanied by a FULL MEMBER of Dauntless. You are free to do whatever you like after 6pm, which is when training just about ends."

"That's all for now. Dinner is served at 7 o'clock pm sharp. Breakfast is at 7am and lunch is at 1pm. If you miss one meal, you will have to wait for the next one before you eat," Tris says. "Go to your dorms. You are free to do as you please."

Everyone rushes to the dorms. I can't remember where it was, so I just go with the crowd. We pick our beds- I'm between Johanna and Peeta- and we just talk.

"What'd you think of the new place, Katniss?" a voice to my left asks me. Left is Johanna. "My opinion? Really tough and scary." She makes spooky noises. "Seems like my type of place."

I nod. "Definitely intimidating."

She laughs. "It's gonna be so much fun. Too bad we're only working with knives and guns though." She looks at me pointedly. "Bet you're disappointed there's no bow and arrows for you."

"Bet _you're_ disappointed there's no axe for you," I snap back.

"Yeah. I am." She shrugs. "Well, you know this 'ranking' thing? What'd you think it's for?"

"Tris said it was to determine your job," I tell her. "Also, only the top 10 initiates are made members."

"Damn..." She says. "The Dauntless sure are tough..."

"Yep. It'll be hard to make it through."

A bell rings. "Guess that's dinner," she says, and all the initiates in the dorm get up, making our way to the dining hall.

I grab whatever looks good- a burger, some fries- and go sit with Peeta, Gale, Finnick, Annie and Johanna.

"New year, new batch of initiates!" a loud voice- Eric- calls. "We wish them all the luck, and of course, may the best be made members." The hall erupts in cheering.

I will be a member. I will be the best.

"Dauntless-born and transfers train separately," Eric continues. "But you are ranked together. Four of all of you will be cut after the first stage- the bottom four, all initiates combined- and the remander are cut after the final stage until there are only 10 left. These are made members. The job priority will be starting from first. The bottom five will likely be guarding the fence."

That sounds boring.

So, I have to rank top 5. Dauntless-born included. So this is going to be tougher than I thought.

"The tattoo shop is going to open an extra hour today, by the way," Eric adds. "Initiates- training room tomorrow, by 8am. Be late, and be factionless. Good night everyone."

Everyone claps- I join in- and as I hear the chatter, and clanging of plates, the laughter, the joy- and no matter how crazy, reckless or insane the other factions think of Dauntless, they are happy, wild, free.

I want to be one of them.

Which is why I have to rank high on initiation.


End file.
